Dean-Hey Heritage

Dad's Garden

Our Orchard & Garden


Dad's Orchard hosted 6 apple trees: Jonathan, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonared, Macintosh, plus 1 "nursery bonus."

Dad planted several nut trees and bushes: 2 English Walnuts (between the house and the garage, yield: 1 bushel of nuts and 31 squirrels which Dad and Mom gladly shared with others who liked squirrel); 2 Almond trees (a few blossoms, but no nuts, and died the next winter); Hazelnut bushes (where pine trees stand now. The bushes yielded quite a few nuts, so small they were more of a nuisance, but not to the squirrels.)

Mom and Dad also maintained 4 grapevines, a strawberry bed, and red and black raspberry bushes from which mom made numerous jars of jam and preserves. From the fruit trees, Mom made pies, applesauce, and plum jam.

Garden in Distance
Becky, Amber, Dani, Brynley, David

Apple Tree in Blossom
Hazelnut bushes in row in distance

Apple Tree in Blossom
Lilacs in Blossom, Grape Vines, Garden Behind

Lilacs in Blossom
Pear Tree
Garden Before Spring Planting

Surplus Produce

Dad's garden provided plenty of meals for our family, year-round with canning and freezing. After Mom finished canning, we boys could pick and sell what remained. We pulled our wagon (with scales) loaded with beans or tomatoes house to house through the neighborhood and sold to neighbors. Sometimes we sold green beans to "Vogel's," a tiny, neighborhood grocery store.

We also raised rabbits, dressed them, and likewise sold to neighbors.